Pelvic floor PT is a proven and effective treatment for erectile dysfunction. A study in 2006 involved 146 men with mean age of 42 with pelvic pain; 92% of these men had sexual dysfunction. Treatment consisted of trigger point release and relaxation training, which led to improvement in symptoms by 77-87% – it’s notable that kegels were not part of this study.
When a man becomes sexually excited, muscles in their penis relax. This relaxation allows for increased blood flow through the penile arteries. This blood fills two chambers inside the penis called the corpora cavernosa. As the chambers fill with blood, the penis grows rigid. Erection ends when the muscles contract and the accumulated blood can flow out through the penile veins.
On the other hand, high zinc levels have negative effects on sperm quality. Excessive zinc intake in mice have indicated a negative effect of increasing doses of zinc on sperm count and motility.[5] Although there have been studies focusing on various aspects of zinc related reproductive functions, studies on zinc related sexual behavioral aspects have received scant attention. In one study, intranasal irrigation with zinc sulphate has been reported to completely abolish the sexual behavior of male rats.[6]
Nitric oxide is made internally from L-arginine, which is an amino acid found in red meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products. In other words, L-arginine is the building block for nitric oxide, which is essential for erections. A lack of one can lead to a lack of the other. However, there’s a problem when it comes to treating L-arginine deficiency with supplements.

One of the main actions of yohimbe bark is alpha-2 antagonism (this is why it’s also sometimes called an “alpha-2 blocker”). This means that it can impact sympathetic nervous system activity and increase the release of adrenaline (or noradrenaline). This is because it blocks alpha-2 receptors in the brain stem. (4) Other types of alpha-2 agonists medications work in a similar way. They affect the central nervous system by altering release of certain neurotransmitters and dilating blood vessels. This increases alertness, circulation and other physiological processes.

Saw palmetto. Saw palmetto comes from the fruit of a small palm tree. It has been used to treat symptoms in men with an enlarged prostate gland, such as difficulty urinating, and it has been recommended to treat ED caused by an enlarged prostate. However, several recent clinical trials did not show that saw palmetto works any better on an enlarged prostate than a placebo does. "There is no evidence that saw palmetto should be used to treat erectile dysfunction," says Dr. Gilbert. Like ginkgo biloba, saw palmetto can interact with some prescription medications.

Relevant publications were searched up to November 2010 in the MEDLINE (PubMed) database. The citation lists of randomized controlled trials on the effect of aerobic training and Erectile Dysfunction management using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) as treatment outcome measure. Studies on different operative techniques on the effects of aerobic training for men with Erectile Dysfunction due to arterogenic Erecile Dysfunction were selected. Data on participants' characteristics, study quality, population, intervention, treatment outcome were collected and analyzed.
In a 2005 study, three months of twice-daily sets of kegel exercises combined with biofeedback and advice on lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, losing weight, and limiting alcohol, worked far better than just giving the participants advice. “Wearing tight pants will affect impotence along with some other medical conditions like diabetes and heart disease,” which can also affect a man’s degree of impotence, Dr. Jennifer Burns, specializing in family practice with an emphasis on gastrointestinal health at the BienEtre Center, told Medical Daily.
So, in establishing physiology, pharmacology, clinical results and safety, zinc is a good choice when you look at cost and side effect profile as well as ease of availability and interaction profile with other meds and other medical conditions. Having said all of this, there is no bulletproof evidence out there guaranteeing that increasing your zinc consumption either in food or via a supplement will improve ED or increase libido. Even if a patient experiences an increase in testosterone from such a supplementation, this is not a certain gateway to resolution of theses symptoms as there is more to it than just one hormone level. However for those that are experiencing problems in these areas, it is certainly worth a try for them. The patient should be mindful however that supplements should be treated like any other medication and trying to increase your testosterone shouldn’t be done without consultation with your doctor and pharmacist. You should also check for any interactions with any meds or medical conditions before trying any supplement as well.
Penile implants - are generally used if physical damage (like an accident) makes the anatomical parts needed for an erection not work. These are inserted by surgery and can provide a permanent treatment choice if others fail to work. The implants can be semi-rigid or inflatable. They can be pretty expensive and are not usually available on the NHS.
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Responders tended to have consistently higher scores compared with nonresponders. For nonresponders, none of the scores was significantly different when comparing baseline scores with either of the yohimbine doses. However, a trend toward an improved total questionnaire score was noted from baseline to the 5.4 mg tid dose (P=0.083). For responders, a significant increase in the Florida Sexual History Questionnaire total score was observed from baseline to the time the 5.4-mg tid dose was administered (P=0.021). A trend closely approaching statistical significance (P=0.055) was noted from baseline to the administration of the 10.8 mg tid dose of yohimbine. Inspection of changes in the individual items revealed that responders reported significantly greater frequency of vaginal penetration with both the 5.4- and 10.8-mg doses of yohimbine tid compared with baseline (P=0.010 and P=0.010, respectively). Participants also noted less difficulty obtaining an erection for sexual intercourse while taking 10.8 mg of the drug compared with baseline (P=0.011). Responders reported having significantly less difficulty maintaining an erection for sexual intercourse compared with baseline with both the 5.4-mg tid dose (P=0.049) and the 10.8-mg tid dose (P<0.001). Responders also reported significantly greater penile firmness and rigidity before intercourse or masturbation in both treatment conditions compared with baseline (P=0.02 for the 5.4-mg tid dose and P=0.013 for the 10.8-mg tid dose).
The search criteria identified 210 studies from 1972 to 2010; on inserting randomized controlled trials only 26 studies were identified out of which only 5 met the inclusion criteria and 21 studies did not meet the inclusion criteria, hence, were excluded. Five (18, 24–27) randomized controlled trials (RCTs) met the inclusion criteria; studies involved the use of aerobic exercise in the management of ED, the IIEF was the assessment tool for ED and also involved control groups. A total of 385 subjects were involved: Lamina et al (25), n=43; Lamina et al (26), n=43; Esposito et al (18), n= 110; Kalka et al (27), n= 129; Maio, Saraed and Marchiori (24), n= 60.
You've probably heard of the old saying "use it or lose it". Your sex muscles are just like any other muscles. If you're not using them regularly (masturbation doesn't count) they will lose size and strength. This commonly happens as you age. Considering most people judge a healthy sex life to be 3-5 times per week, that's not a lot of use for these important muscle groups. Therefore, it's best to exercise the muscles which support a healthy sex life so you can enjoy sex well into your 80's.
The human body only contains 2 or 3 grams of zinc at any given time. Zinc is distributed throughout the body in organs, blood, and bones. It can be difficult to diagnose zinc deficiency. While a low blood zinc level does indicate a deficiency, a normal blood level does not necessarily indicate the absence of a deficiency. And examination of the hair for zinc or a zinc taste test (ZTT) may also be used for supportive evidence in the diagnosis of zinc deficiency.